40th Family Wheeler (2 Viewers)

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Joined
Feb 7, 2015
Threads
26
Messages
1,159
Location
Eastern Washington
So I've been on mud a while, learning and posting when I can help. Done a few mods to my cruiser but hadn't started a build thread yet. Getting to the point where I am going to start progressing faster so think it's time.

Goal of the rig is to have a capable wheeler that I can drive to the trail with the wife and kids. Has to double as the second car when I have the camper in my pickup which is 3/4 of the year.

Have been slowly working on maintenance and fixing stuff. Lucky for me the cruiser had very few issues when I got it. So far I've replaced the heater hoses and radiator hoses, changed all the fluids, rebuilt the front axel and started on replacing all the window tracks/seals.

Mods so far (see my sig for links to the mods I've already posted here):
33" Mickey Thompson Baja ATZP3
1" Body Lift from 4 crawler
Relentless Fabrication Front Bumper with lights and winch
Custom rear bumper
BH3D Cup Holders
CDL Switch
Slee Washer Bottle Relocate

Plans in the near future include new exhaust system rock sliders and a dual battery set up. Longer range is a lift and 35's or 37's. Waiting on the turbo kit to come out to decide if I go with that or an LS swap when the motor finally dies.

Here she is in all her glory
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So today I finished up my fire extinguisher mount. Went with the location on the front of the drivers seat but took a different approach with the mounting. Currently my wife drives the cruiser as much as I do so I needed to be able to move the seat from all the way back to nearly all the way forward. All of the set ups I've seen that use the seat bolts tend to limit forward movement. As I was looking at the front of the seat I realized that I could make a mount that attached to the seat itself and would allow full range of motion.

I used the two small screws that hold the plastic trim on for the upper part of the mount and then attached it at the bottom by removing the two shoulder bolts that hold the gear system on for the power seats, putting my mount on that area and reinstalling the bolts. I used small tubing to extend the mount out from the face of the seat brackets. Whole thing is made from 16ga steel. Worked out really well I think. Still need to take it back out and paint it but going to run it for a week or two and see if I want to change anything first.
Will get a few more pics then but here's what it looks like installed.

From the front with no extinguisher in place:
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From the front with extinguisher on:
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From the top:
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Yes it's missing two bolts...will get those when I paint it.

Pin pulls easily, able to get the extinguisher out quick. Does not bother me at all with it in place but wife says she does not like it. Takes up some of her foot room when she has the seat all the way forward. I told her to move the seat back 2 inches and it should give her the same foot room she had before...
 
Solid work, keep it up
 
Very nice. Love the color - my alltime favorite for an LC.
 
Replaced the exhaust system on the cruiser over the weekend. Went with 2.5" stainless. Used the magnaflow downpipe and a single CAT. Went over the frame near the middle body mount leaving enough straight pipe after the first CAT I could always add another if need be. Also replaced both O2 sensors.

Parts for this build are:

2.5" Stainless rod builder exhaust kit (summit racing). Used (2) 90's, (2) 45's, (2) 180's and (2) straight
Walker Quite flow SS muffler (summit racing PN WLK-21481)
Stainless weld on O2 sensor bung (Slee Off Road)
Header wrap, wrap ties, exhaust flange (Summit racing)

I ended up cutting up 2 of the 180 bends into pieces to make the front pipe that goes over the frame. Cutting them give you several tight 90 and 45 degree bends that I welded together to make the shape I needed. Muffler fits great, same width, depth as stock but shorter length. Hangers are made from 1" x 0.125 stainless flat bar using stock rubber mounts. Wrapped the new pipe in header wrap where it goes over the frame as it was pretty close to the floor board.

Overall this was a pain in the but however it came out nice. Muffler sounds good, not loud at all and barley notice any difference over the system that was in the truck before.

Pics: Feel free to ask questions!
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Maybe it just the angle of the pic but it doesn't look like there is a lot of clearance between the rear end and the exhaust pipe.
 
Nice work!!
 
Finally got around to hooking up the light bar on my bumper. Taking my time and crimping>soldering>heat shrinking all connectors. Making a poor mans spod using a blue sea fuse panel and relays. Right now the panel runs my fridge, the amp for the speakers, the light bar and the lower light pods. Other two slots will likely be used for reverse lights and a compressor.

Aux Fuse Box.jpg
 
It's the angle. The pipe is about 1/2" or less from touching the frame. Plenty of room over the axel.

You may want to cut about 3" off the exhaust tip. Come down on a rock or log and you will wink that baby closed in a heartbeat. Seen it done too many times. Mine is about that location, but I have a 30 or 45 degree tip on it to keep heat and noise away from frame/body. I cooked some wires in my right rear quarter soon after I got rid of my resonator because the heat from the tail pipe was aimed straight at it.
 
BTDT. When I unknowingly squished my tailpipe on a rock, it ended up pointed upward a bit. Just enough that the exhaust/heat went above the bumper pan under the right rear quarter. Not only did it melt some of the wiring harness inside that included my trailer wires, it got so hot that it started to melt the bottom of the flair. Even after my dash and tail lights went out, I didn't realize the extent of the problem, so I just kept the hammer down for nearly 2 hours at freeway speeds. It actually got so hot that it started to melt my tail light fixture and the plastic guide that keeps the tail gate arms from rattling around. My tail gate was basically glued shut!! What a way to end a great day of wheeling!
 
so maybe just cut it and leave it short. Haven't noticed any noise or smell from where it is now so should be ok.

That should work. You can always add a tip later if you want. I have a slight downward angle on mine.
 
so maybe just cut it and leave it short. Haven't noticed any noise or smell from where it is now so should be ok.

I know on a trip, the 80 exhaust gets pretty hot.

I had a wheelchair on my hitch rack and drove for about an hour in 95°F temps and it managed to melt the LF tire on the power wheelchair........ The hitch rack was about 12" behind the rear bumper on stock exhaust. I never dreamed it would get THAT hot there.

I been recently dreaming about doing nearly what you have done there.

Do you have your own TIG machine or did you have someone else do that part?

For me, I will stick with 2 cats and still install a resonator. But my exhaust is about ready to come apart and I want to be prepared for the day it happens. Do you think I could pre-build any of this before taking out my existing exhaust?

How did you cut the tube? Abrasive cutoff saw, plasma, or band saw?
 
I had removed the resonator on my last exhaust and the pipe ended about where it does now. Drove it for 100's of miles at a time and never ran into an issue with heat. Maybe I just got lucky. Will check the area more thoroughly next time I go for a decent length drive to see what is getting warm.

I have my own TIG machine. You can weld the stainless with regular MIG wire but the welds will rust quick. They do make a stainless MIG wire but it's expensive for just one exhaust and I've never personally welded with it, always used the TIG. I cut it with an abrasive chop saw and then cleaned up the edges with my belt sander and a file (for the insides).

On the pre build I think that depends on your goal. I could not since I was going a different routing and had to test fit each piece as I cut it. If you were duplicating the set up you have now you could probably get some stiff wire to bend along the pipe to make a trace and then use that to build your new pieces.
 
I had removed the resonator on my last exhaust and the pipe ended about where it does now. Drove it for 100's of miles at a time and never ran into an issue with heat. Maybe I just got lucky. Will check the area more thoroughly next time I go for a decent length drive to see what is getting warm.

I have my own TIG machine. You can weld the stainless with regular MIG wire but the welds will rust quick. They do make a stainless MIG wire but it's expensive for just one exhaust and I've never personally welded with it, always used the TIG. I cut it with an abrasive chop saw and then cleaned up the edges with my belt sander and a file (for the insides).

On the pre build I think that depends on your goal. I could not since I was going a different routing and had to test fit each piece as I cut it. If you were duplicating the set up you have now you could probably get some stiff wire to bend along the pipe to make a trace and then use that to build your new pieces.


Great info! That's exactly what I was looking for!

I may have to pick up or borrow a TIG machine. It's been years since I've done it. As long as you weld it with 309SS or 308SS wire, it will work fine. I know the stock exhaust is 409SS and some of the replacement stuff that is polished is 304SS. The 304SS will stand up to rust better than the 409, but it's more expensive.

I like how you've wrapped the elbow over the frame!

I am considering going away from the stock mounts, as they break away from the bond. I may go with the rod and rubber loop hangers tohang it. Hopefully I can get it stable enough so it doesn't wiggle around.
 
CB Radio installed. Went with the Uniden 520 and followed the instructions on Slee's site including modifying the connection to be able to slide the radio in further. Would block the cup holder without doing that and we can't have that! Also added a bracket to hold the radio in place. It's a tight fit but I was worried that it would slip forward over time so I made up a mount and screwed it into the air duct. Not going anywhere now.
TEQ mount for the Firestick antenna. Really glad I bought the mount from TEQ instead of trying to make it. Very nice piece and worth the price.

Bracket.jpg
Finished Antenna.jpg
Finished Radio.jpg
 

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